Die Murray vertaling van die Bybel in Chichewa

Afrikaans Die volgende interessante uitknipsel uit Die Burger van 3 Augustus 1982 is ingestuur deur Emma Horn. Dit gaan oor wyle Dr Willie Murray (William Tak, MFR b3c8), bekend as “Die Baas” van die destydse Nyasasending, vandag bekend as Malawi, waar daar nog etlike van ons volksgenote en familielede werk. Afrikaner het Malawi met eie Bybel gehelp (Deur ons Kerksake-verslaggewer)Elf jaar voordat die Bybel in Afrikaans verskyn het, was dit reeds volledig in Chichewa vertaal onder leiding van ’n Afrikaanssprekende sendeling in Malawi, dr W H Murray. Oos van die nuwe hoofstad Lilongwe op die berg Kaso waar dr en mev Murray hull twee jaar lank afgesonder het om die vertaling af te rond, is ’n gedenkteken opgerig om dié heuglike gebeurtenis te herdenk. Dr Murray, ’n kleinseun van die bekende ds Andrew Murray, het elf jaar lank aan die vertaling van die Bybel in Chichewa gewerk, en dit het in 1922 verskyn. Die volgende jaar is dit amptelik in gebruik geneem. Teen 1919 het dr en mev Murray twee jaar lank in ’n eenvoudige huisie, wat hulle self gebou het, op die Kaso-berg gaan woon om die vertaling af te rond. In 1973 is ’n gedenkteken op die berg opgerig om die fyftigjarige bestaan van die Bybel in Chichewa te herdenk. Drie leraars van die NG jongkerk in Malawi en ’n afgetrede onderwyser het in 1968 aan ’n nuwe vertaling van die Bybel in meer moderne, eenvoudige Chichewa begin werk. Dit het reeds verskyn. Die bewoording op die gedenkteken is soos volg: THE WORD OF GOD IN CHICHEWA We praise God for his Holy Word given to us in our own language, Chichewa. In 1923 we thank him for his many faithful servants of different races who worked together from 1900 to 1923 to translate His Word into Chichewa. “All mortals are like grass … but the Word of the Lord endures for evermore.” 1 Peter 1:1:24-25

English

The following interesting insert published by Die Burger on the third of August 1982 has been submitted by Emma Horn.

It concerns the late dr Willie Murray (William branch, MFR b3c8), known as “The Boss” of the then Nyasa mission, known today as Malawi, where up to this day several fellow South Africans as well as family members are still at work.

Afrikaner helps Malawi with own Bible (English)

(written by our “Kerksake” reporter)

Eleven years before the Bible was published in the Afrikaans language, a complete version into the Chichewa language was finished under the leadership of an Afrikaans speaking missionary to Malawi, Dr WH Murray.

Towards the east of the new capital of Malawi, namely Lilongwe, on Mount Kaso, a memorial stone was erected to commemorate this glad event. It is on this mount that Dr and Mrs Murray spent two years in isolation to complete the translation.

Dr Murray, grandson of the well known rev Andrew Murray, spent eleven years in translating the Bible into Chichewa and it was published in 1922. The following year it came into official use.

Starting in 1919, Dr and Mrs Murray spent two years in a very basic little house, which they built themselves on mount Kaso, to complete the translation. In the year 1973 a memorial stone was erected to commemorate the fiftieth year of the excistence of the Bible in Chichewa.

In the year 1968, three ministers of the DR Youth Church, together with a retired teacher, started working on a more modern, simple translation of the Bible into Chichewa and it has since been published.

The wording on the memorial stone reads as follows:

THE WORD OF GOD IN CHICHEWA

We praise God for His Holy Word given to us in our own language, Chichewa. In 1923 we thank Him for His many faithful servants of different races who worked together from 1900 to 1923 to translate His Word into Chichewa.

“All mortals are like grass … but the Word of the Lord endures for evermore.”

1Peter 1:24-25